7 Great Foods for Detoxing and Beauty for 2010

1. Celery. The organic potassium in celery is an important electrolyte that helps facilitate cellular cleansing. An easy and inexpensive way to maintain ongoing detoxification and our ideal fluid levels! Snack on celery sticks, add to salads, or put into my Green Smoothie. My simple recipe is available online at www.kimberlysnyder.net.

2. Figs. An excellent blood purifier. Since blood transports nutrients to cells throughout the body and face, the cleaner the blood the more beautiful the skin. The tiny seeds in figs are not only packed with nutrients, they help draw out and dissolve waste, mucus, and toxins from the intestinal tract. Raw and dried figs both give these great benefits.

3. Açai. Greatly popularized in 2009, Acai’s importance continues into this new year. Açai is loaded with beneficial nutrients and antioxidants, including Omega 3 fatty acids, amino acids, minerals, key vitamins and fiber. The Omega 3 fatty acids found in Açai maintain the structure and fluidity of cell membranes, facilitating the inflow of nutrients and the outflow of waste products, promoting youthful, smooth and radiant skin by keeping skin cells hydrated and strong. Acai can be purchased frozen in health stores and made into smoothies.

4. Almond Milk. A great alternative to dairy and soy milk, which are both difficult to digest and mucus-forming. Simply switching to this product for milk uses is an easy and great way to clear up skin and help make it more radiant, keep our sinuses clear, and increase energy.

5. Onions. This everyday food has a considerable amount of sulfur, which helps cleanse the skin and liver and rebuild connective tissues like collagen. Onions are also an exceptional source of usable quercetin, which works to eliminate free radicals. Onions help lower blood pressure.

6. Sunflower seeds. These seeds contain all 8 essential amino acids, which our body’s need to obtain from food sources, and uses to manufacture the other 15 amino acids and build protein chains in our bodies. We can and should derive our protein needs from plant sources at least for a percentage of our diet, not just animal sources. Plant protein sources are easier for our bodies to assimilate, and do not make our bodies acidic, the way digesting animal protein sources do.